Shooting Street?

PhotographyIsConfusing · Apr 18, 2009

When you shoot street photography are you supposed to shoot from the hipe or just shoot normally?

Sjixxxy · Apr 18, 2009

Normally. Shooting from the hip results in tons of wasted images for the low amount of keepers that happen by doing it, and looks shady in the eyes of anyone who catches you in the act.

Go to youtube and search the term "winogrand" if you need any inspiration.

Torus34 · Apr 19, 2009

My own preference is either a 35mm rangefinder [often an old Russky or perhaps an Argus C4 or Yashica GS ('killer' lens!)] with a normal lens or a 35mm SLR with a 100 [50 + 2X extender] or 135mm lens. Either helps me to be unobtrusive, a goal I strive for. I carry no other gear except for a light meter [used sparingly] and several rolls of film. I use the cameras in the normal manner and frame as carefully as possible for each shot.

JerryPH · Apr 19, 2009

There is no such thing as a "supposed to" way of doing things. Some photographers like to be a ways away and use a long lens. Others will be RIGHT in the face of people on the street. Some shoot form the hip, some want to be as obvious as possible.

*ALL* ways work. You need to find out what works for you.

EhJsNe · Apr 19, 2009

If I was going to shoot a street i would shoot normally. It allows for more keepers, and if people catch you shooting, they wont think you are quite as wierd....sneaking shots of people is considered quite odd to many people.

Do whatever works for you.

Patrice · Apr 23, 2009

TLR's are great cameras for quiet and unobtrusive photography. Not so common anymore but new is still available and secondhand can be inexpensive.

bigtwinky · Apr 24, 2009

A wide angle is a great lens for street photography. It can allow you to get right up in the action and take pictures of people without pointing the camera directly at them, ensuring you are capturing a real moment and not someone "posing" for you.

Mike_E · Apr 24, 2009

Look up Hyperfocal.

tsaraleksi · Apr 24, 2009

I've always been happy with keeping it in the 50mm range (ie 35 on the 1D2, 50 on the 5D). It's a normal length and in some ways forces you to make the image, rather than the focal length, interesting (though this is by no means the only reason for using 50mm)